Enneapterygius niue, a Colorful New Species of Triplefin from the Pacific Ocean

Enneapterygius niue is a colorful species of triplefin that was just described by Ronal Fricke and Mark Erdmann. Known from just three specimens collected in Niue and Samoa, this new triplefin species is quite the looker.

With a candy-cane colored body that is striped red and white, the Niue triplefin also sports a degree of blue color. The fins are mostly transparent, but as the name implies, there are three separate dorsal fins from the head to the tail.

Triplefins are a neat group of fishes that are rarely seen in the aquarium hobby but which are widespread in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Closely related to the ‘true’ blennies, triplefins can often be quite colorful as is the case with the new species of reef fish for the day.